Is Coffee The Most Popular Drink In History?

As far back as 850 A.D it is said that a lonely sheep herder and
hischarge stumbled across a strange and mysterious berrygrowing on a
secluded and forgotten hillside. Before hecould stop them, some of his
sheep had already began tosample this strange fruit. After about ten
minutes or so theshepherd began to notice something unusual about his
sheep.They no longer looked tired after their long trek that day.In
fact they appeared to be wide awake and very alert. Theshepherd had
never seen them behave this way and he wascurious. Now being a little
tired and weary himself theshepherd decided to try the berries for
himself. Just as hadhappened with his flock he too became wide awake
and pardonthe pun, extremely "full of beans". Just then a monkhappened
by and after hearing what had happened proceeded toscold the poor
shepherd and lecture him on his foolishindulgence. Having had his say
the monk continued on hisjourney but before he set off he made
absolutely sure that aplant was secured amongst his belongings.

Back at the abbey the monks decided to try this new magicalstimulant.
Soon the endless hours of praying became easy toendure. Coffee the
beverage had been unleashed. Itswidespread use first took hold in the
Ethiopian regionsbefore then moving on to the Arabian empire. Here it
was tobe held for many years as a sacred substance until it
wasillegally exported to the outside world by an Arab calledBaba
Budan. Word of its effects then began to spread and ina short while
coffee was to become one of the most treasuredcommodities in our
history. Today we drink a staggering 4billion cups each and every year
and there are many among uswho would simply refuse to start our day
without it.

Although coffee is well known for keeping us awake there arealso
health benefits associated with the drinking of coffee.It is said that
those who suffer from asthma and partake ofthe drink have 25% less
symptoms due to a substance calledtheophylline. This is what is known
as a bronchodilator andquite simply it is claimed to help those who
suffer from thedisease to breathe a little easier. Drinking Coffee on
aregular basis is also meant to help lower your risk of coloncancer by
a figure also in the region of around 25%. It isthought to do this
simply by helping to keep you regularwhich in turn helps fend off
disease and illness.

Apart from the benefits that have just been mentioned it hasto be said
that simply drinking coffee as a beverage is adelight that cannot
easily be surpassed. The amazing thingis that the average person has
no idea of the varied tastesthat this hallowed bean

http://www.dontplayplay.com/html/Foo...925/16467.html